Paper Airplane

21

Chapter Twenty-One

 

 

                Pursing my lips and squinting my eyes, I studied the illuminated screen of my phone as I swiped my thumb over it, scrolling through the list of events, dates, and bonding days I’m to spend with my fake boyfriend over the course of the next month.  Of course, I do not intend for our time together to last that long – hopefully not even half as long – but I let Harry optimistically plan far ahead. 

                It was too much, if I had any say in it – which I didn’t – but I was not going to argue.  I may hate every second of it, but I decided today that I was going to attempt to not make what few weeks Harry and I had to spend together awful for both of us.  It was useless and tiresome to be so cranky all the time.  Besides, I really was excited to be friends with Harry, even if we had to pretend to be more than that first. 

                In fact, that was the purpose of the bonding days on the schedule.  The idea came up first amongst the other boys, and it was clear Harry had no part in it because he was as surprised as I was when Liam mentioned that we should set aside a few days to spend together, out of the public eye, to work on our chemistry.  Because apparently we had next to none, and eventually people would stop believing our façade.

                Our next date was to take place tomorrow during lunch, and Harry was quick to assure me that he had taken security and exploitation matters into his own hands. 

                I’d been chewing on my nails by this point, already thinking about all of the public appearances we were going to be making in such a short period of time – it was worse than going out with Brady nearly every other day.  Harry was answering a question Zayn had asked him when he caught sight of me.

                “You look worried,” he noted.

                I just stared his way, willing him to understand why I appeared this way without having to snap at him.  I didn’t think being complacent would be such a struggle.

                He must have understood.  “Well, don’t be.  I made some calls and talked to some people, and we will be fully covered tomorrow.”

                “Define fully covered, Harry,” Louis had requested before I could.

                “I mean that we’ll have security lining the place – multiple men at every entrance and exit – and the only photos to be taken will be taken by whoever is in the diner when we arrive.  Once we’re there, no one else is allowed to enter, only exit.”  He aimed a small, proud smile my way.  “And this diner is located several miles outside of the city so that we won’t have to worry about enough people tracking us down quickly enough and trapping us inside the building.”

                I was slightly surprised, to say the least, that Harry had taken my feelings into consideration this time around.  It seemed like something he’d do, so I’m not completely sure why it surprised me, but…  It just did.

                “Thank you, Harry,” I’d said then, certainly noticing the way my voice sounded odd when I was being nice to someone I wasn’t blood-related to.  Hopefully it was just me.

                He seemed elated by my appreciation.  “Sure.”

                As the scene played itself out in my head again, I let my phone dim, bringing it to my lips as I tried to stop the silly smile blossoming on my face.  There was no point for it, and I was beyond grateful that no one was in my bedroom with me to see it; not that they’d be able to, however, because the lights are off.